Urinary device



July 13, 1965 BREECE, JR 3,194,238

URINARY DEVICE Filed March 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

L55 if. BPEECE, Ck.

BY M g y 13, 1965 K. BREECE, JR 3,194,238

URINARY DEVICE Filed March 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .FGa

H W////A\\\\\\W// INVEN TOR.

LEE E; BQEECE, CIQ.

BY w

United States Patent O 3,194,238 URINARY DEVXCE Lee K. Breece, lira, San Pedro, Calif, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Resifiex Laboratory, Los Angeies, (Satin, a corporation of Caiifornia Filed Mar. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 262,084 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-295) This invention relates generally to a urinary device and, more particularly, to a urinary device adapted for use by adult females who may be incontinent or have diificulty in controlling discharges from the bladder.

The containment or collection of an involuntary discharge of urine by a female has been the subject of several prior proposed devices which were externally applied and covered pro-genital organs in an attempt to direct such flow into a suitable receptacle or collection bag, either carried on the leg or placed adjacent the patient if the patient was bed-ridden. Such prior devices could be readily associatedwith an immobilized patient and, in general, were satisfactory. However, when a patient was only partially immobilized, was capable of sitting up or changing position in bed, or was an ambulatory patient, such prior devices often shifted due to such movement of the patient and body pressures created by such movement. In such instance, capture and control of the discharge Was incomplete and not satisfactory. In general, such prior devices presented several disadvantages or difiiculties as incomplete, nonpositive sealing around the urethral orifice, discomfort in wearing such prior devices, change in position of such devices when the patient moves, bulkiness of external padding sometimes used. Lack of capability to maintain a positive sealing relation with the urethral orifice during various movements of the body of the patient was perhaps the major disadvantage. The present invention contemplates essentially an internal type of female urinary device which is so constructed and arranged that it obviates the disadvantages of prior proposed external type devices and those internal type devices which utilize other body cavities for maintaining position of the urinary device, such as Patent 2,483; 079. The present invention contemplates a urinary device which includes a deform-able resilient, flexible tubular fitting .or member adapted to be internally inserted between labia of the vulva for sealing engagement under sli-g-ht pressure with surfaces surrounding the urethral orifice and wherein such tubular member is retained in position without discomfort to a mobile or immobilized patient. The tubular member is short in length, readily laterally deformable at itsinner end portion and has an outer end portion which is adapted to be releasably connected to a support means. The support means generally comprises a flexible resilient, triangularly shaped, support member having side Walls of selected configuration for engagement with external surfaces of the labia of the vulva. The tubular member communicates through a port in the support member with a suitable drain tube which may conduct discharges to a suitable bag or receptacle of selected type.

The primary object of the present invention therefore is to disclose and provide a novel urinary device adapted for use by females for directing urine evacuations to a suitable receptacle. An object of the invention is to disclose and provide a novel urinary devicewhich can be worn without discomfort and which retains its position during usual movements of the body of a patient.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide a urinary device for incontinent patients which is simple and inexpensive.

-A further object of the invention is to disclose and 3,194,238 Patented July 13, 1965 provide a urinary device for incontinent patients which can be easily and conveniently associated with the urogenital organs of a patient.

Still another object of the invention is to disclose an internal type urinary device having means to eifect a positive, slight pressure seal about a urethral orifice without discomfort to the patient and to maintain such seal during various movement of the patients body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sanitary, readily clean-able, female urinary device.

A still further object is to disclose such a device which is readily adapt-able to fully incontinent patients and which may be simply modified for use by slightly incontinent patients.

Many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which exemplary embodirnents of this invention are shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a urinary device embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a support means and tubular member embodying the invention as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line III-'II-I of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken in the planeindicated by line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken in the same plane as FIG. 4 showing a modification of the device for slightly incontinent patients.

In FIG. 1, a urinary device embodying this invention is generally indicated at 10. Device 10 generally comprises a support means 11 and a tubular means such as tubular member or fitting 12 carried by the support means. The support means 11 may be suspended from a Waist belt 14 by a pair of front straps 15 and a back strap 16. The front straps 15 may be attached by suitable fasteners 17 to the front of the support means at corners thereof and may extend upwardly along the groin at the depression between the thigh and the lower abdominal portion of the body. For this purpose, the upper ends 18 of straps 15 may be adjustably located and fastened to the waist belt 14 by suitable spaced fastener elements 19. The back strap 16 similarly has an upper end 20 adjustably attached to the waist belt 14 at suitably spaced fasteners 21. It will be understood that the fatseners 17, 19 and 21 may be of any well known snap-type or other type of fasteners.

The device 11 may be of generally triangular shape and may have a wide front top portion 23 adapted to be placed over and to cover the lower pubic region. Member 11 tapers toward the rear to a back end 24 suitably configured, in this example, rounded and providing sufficient space for fastener 25 for back strap 16, the fastener 25 being of similar type as fasteners 17.

j The support member 11 may be made of any suitable impervious, flexible, pliant material such as latex, rubber, synthetic plastic materials capable of being molded and presenting a relatively soft, non-irritating, yieldable sur- The flange portions 31 provide a top skin engaging surscribed. l i p The preformed main-walli3fi of supportv member: '11

in'cludesan inclined offset ported, tubular member mount-p ing section fi t' p'rovidinga slantedrecess 35 on the front faceBfi-of wall 30 and a'slanted embossrnent 37 fonthe' 7 face 32; adapted to seat against skin areas as later .de--

' back or'internalface otwall30. The embossment 37 is adapted to be" received within the slight perinealadepres;

sion' in the patients body'and serves to assist location and positioning'o'f the device. 7 The inclinedotfset section34} base port38 having an axisdisposed at an angle to-the 'niain'wall 30 so as to direct'such axis generally along and between the legs of the patient. 7 v s V Tubular member "12 is carried by support member 11 at port'38. Tubular member 12may be made ofimaterial similar to'support: member 11 and may be preformed or rprernolded to 'a'niinitial selected shape and configuration:

'In this example, tubular'rnember, 12 includes an' outer.

7 into the end portion' t lil of andie ndportion" .40 will resiliently grasp and hold the. connector means 565.,

When device 10 .is associatedwithithe patient s body,v v

belt 14 is-placed around the waist of the patientlwiththe.

upper'end .26 Y 'of theaba'ck strap 16 :unfastened therefrenn V The front straps may be: readily adjusted to thezgroin depressions and the support member;.11 located adjacent the lower'pubic regionsi. Thez tubularimemberqm is-then' slightly laterally deformed so vthatithe flang e or:lip ;44 .may be inserted?withinythe labiumrminus ofjthe; vulva to bring the slightly widened surfaces 46jintorcontactxwith internal, skin'jsurfaces surrounding ithe vff p I CihIQL'ZOIlfiCCiQ i Since such surfaces'are normalit {moistand' sincethe ma terialof the tubularrnernbei is flexiblefand deformable,

.;and sofn'the surfaces-46 provideaseal around the urethral orifice. The,'labiurnminugiafter insertion of thetubular;

circularfend'portion 4ii' re'ceivable.withinport' 38; In; a

i this example, means for releasably securing end portion 40"inpor t'38 may comprisea preformed external 'cir cular attachment rib 41 on end portion :40 and receivablewithin a'corresponding annular groove orarecess 42pm- Above end portion xtfl tubularmernber 12 may include 'vided'in thefedge face or, port 38; 'Since'thematerialjot 1 tubular member 12 is flexible and preformed to this shape,: 1 the outer end portion 40 may be inserted in port'8 and then i permitted to expand so that the annular rib 41 firmly in terengagesz and interlocks with annularjgroove 42.; The outer end face of end portion 40 rnaybefflush with'the front surface'36'ofmain wall 30 of the support member.

a central preformed wall 43 of bellows, accordion; or r 5 transversely convoluted configuration. Wall 43 changes in cross-sectional configuration from thecireular Configura tion ofrouter end portion 4il-into an ovate configuration with the major: diameter extending longitudinally of sup port r'nernber; 1 1 Wall' l3 extends above thevflangeisur.

f and: discomfort to the patient.

face .32 and 'terminatesin an ovate outwardly directed flange 'or lip 44 of slightly thicker section than thesection, V of wall 43. The inner end portion 45:0f tubularmember. v 1 2 with outwardly extending lip 44 which provides a skin engaging surface 46 is thus sufiiciently flexible anddeformable to permit change inshape under-1 slight pres-n SureswhiIe. maintaining its. normal configuration when not under-pressure.

iThe'tubu'lar member 12 thus p royides a'passageway 48 adapted to .vary in cross-sectionalconfiguration while ibetween flangerft t and the:flange SLon'the supportine oer 11'.:'Tl1 surfaces '32 onyfiangei vfilQof the elongate configuration of: the side walls ZTare adaptedgito; contact; and engage external surfaces ot; the labiu'nfmajusgfThe Y arrangement E of the 5 tubular ,niembeir'andj sidewalls so 7 designed that the normal'position of the labi urn. minus; and labium majus Vwillbe :virtually'.undieturbedwhenthe member 12, may partially overlap; the flange Mandi;

. .When the devieel 101 is properly tothe urethral orific'egwiWhen the'delvice 10 s'properly maintaining an open passageway. Passageway, 48 .com] municates with a suitable tubular connector means, 50

having a passageway 51 and releasably connected to theouterend portion40 WithiILPDIt 38 'I n" this example,

such releasable'connection is readily made by the pro-' tory -patients,n thei devicej 1 in ;relat ion*'to;the urethral orificeftha t even though the visionofan'annular recess 52in the internal surface of s end portion 40 opposite rib 41 and the interlocking re- 'ception therein of a radially outwardly,directedbeadf53 I; provided at theinnerend 5410f the connector means 56).;

. The connector means is not shown in detail since it may a be of any suitable type of connect or made of-plasticmaterial and havingat itsouter or front end 'means'for con-'- necting to' a flexible tube '55 for conducting: fluid dis-j patient engages. in man, normal abodyl 'rnovements such as i walking, 5 sitting :down, ,lying-;-do wn, bending ever and the like, the tubular. merribergllwill maintain its sealed. relag tion with the;urethralorificeand-involuntary discharges; j

will be directedlhrough the-passageways 148 andt51 to 'I fitted and; adjusted to the body .of'gtheirwearer 7 a justed.and positi ncd V on the patients body,;,the, perineal i oifsetf'34?l will bew'j' located at the perineum er ithej-patientsbocly :andfdwill I] t locate sand, maintain "thef tubular firembe'r IZ- Ein proper V longitudinalrelationshipwithrespect'tdthe yulva,'Morea r over,- the interaction yand fengagemen tfiof gthe labium rnajus a'ndlabiumminus withithe side .walls bularmember 1 12,. respectivelyg 'alsogseryef'to maintain; the tubular member-12in itsiproper;locationjwithirespect ff v g n ,theaback- I strap :15 n1ay be jconnecteid-with thewaist'beltifl and thefront straps 15,- back strapf16adjusted for comfort.

It' will thus be:' apparentithatpinathe case. ofambula z 1 thetube-.toanassociatedjlegbag:

charges to. either astationary bottle orreceptacle,a longdifferent construction and is not shown herein. Pr eferably, the: connecting means, 50 includes a check *yalve construction ,(not' shown) which willpermit discharged; fluid to passintothe tube 55 and which willpreventrback- V 1 flow of,;such:fiuid.j- Such'check valves arewelllmown andain thisfinstance may include; a simple flap-type .valve insertedxi'nto the connecting rneans and secured :therein by we'll'kniownmeansp Since the support membertll and, a e tubular member 12.. areflexible and madeof latex or the. ,like; it will be .readilyapparent'thatthe relatively rigid. inner end- 54 of the connecting means may be {inserted 7 side a bed orto a suitable urine collection bag strapped V jto the leg of the patient. Suclrcollection bags may be of fwidth' and configuration is "arrorne 11; is understood" thattheftubulan member 12 and lthe" I? '7 length {and width "of the side k walls 212 m y be: of "dif-l- 'ferent. size and;of;slight yariationsfinnshape. The'rsi 'moidal wall configuration ,o f s'ide walls 2'Zh1aybe'1modi fiedf as" long. asa skin 'en'gag ing 'surface 32 ,7 of d It risnorm-ally' desired-thatthe tubular1mernberll2 lbe 7' s so supported andheld V '7 provided with. an outer end. portion; j40lof circular; formij to facilitate connections with a. connectorlsuch-as"50 The Y remainder of .thegtubular 'niemben512jmay 'yaryiin crosscal,;-"ovate,;;and :other .snitablezkdesired tormsi wh may I 'providea tubular member }adaptedIto 'impart'through-fih l. in V 1 construction and material of, lthezmernb erfa slight (pres; l i

sure against skin suIfaces :and adaptability: to"

niodate any slight shifting, turning or twisting of the patients body during movement.

FIG. 5 shows the device modified and adapted for use by patients only slightly incontinent. In such instances, the wearing of a leg bag or the connection of device 10 to a fluid collecting receptacle is usually not necessary. Device 10 may be modified by removing tubular member 12 and connector 50 from the part 38 in the main wall 30 of the support member 11 and inserting a plug means such as a suitable circular plug 60 of an impervious material slightly stifler than the soft, flexible material of the support member 11. Plug 60 includes an annular rib 61 on its circumferential edge face 62, the annular rib 61 being received within the annular groove 42 provided in the side member 11. The plug is thus interlocked and grapsed by the port margins of wall 30.

A pad 64 is provided with a configuration generally corresponding to the configuration of the chamber or cavity 65 defined by the side walls 27 and the overlying portions 28 of the side walls. Pad 64 is thus readily held within the side walls 27. Pad 64 may be made of any suitable soft, absorbent material in order to absorb the slight discharges of the patient. The pad 64 may also be treated with suitable well-known sanitizing and deodorant agents.

Removal of the pad 64 and plug 60 permits the sup- I mally upstanding resilient open ended tubular member having an inner end portion laterally and longitudinally resiliently deformable and an outer end portion, said inner end portion having an outwardly directed peripheral lip adapted to be internally received between labia minora for sealingly engaging surfaces surrounding a urethral orifice; and support means connected to the outer end portion of the tubular member and having an ovate flange for engaging external surfaces of the labria majora to retain said tubular member in position with respect to the urethral orifice.

2. A female urinary collection device comprising: a pliant support means provided with a port; an axially compressible tubular-like open-ended fitting carried by the support means in communication with said port and having an inner deformable end adapted to be internally received and held between labia minora and to sealingly surround a urethral orifice; said pliant support means including a resilent flange with surface to engage labia majora for retaining the position of said fitting and means connected to the support means for conducting fluid from the port to a collection receptacle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 660,388 10/00 Moberg et al 128-295 994,884 6/11 Stewart 128-295 2,483,079 9/49 Williams 128295 2,815,511 12/57 Friedman et al 128-295 3,072,125 1/ 63 OBrien 128-295 3,123,074 3/ 64 Turner 128283 3,131,403 5/64 Hill 128-295 X FOREIGN PATENTS 378,760 10/07 France.

RICHARD A GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A URINARY DEVICE FOR A FEMAL COMPRISING: A NORMALLY UPSTANDING RESILIENT OPEN ENDED TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN INNER END PORTION LATERALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE AND AN OUTER END PORTION, SAID INNER END PORTION HAVING AN OUTWARDLY DIRECTED PERIPHERAL LIP ADAPTED TO BE INTERNALLY RECEIVED BETWEEN LABIA MINORA FOR SEALINGLY ENGAGING SURFACES SURROUNDING A URETHRAL ORIFICE; AND SUPPORT MEANS CONNECTED TO THE OUTER END PORTION OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER AND HAVING AN OVATE FLANGE FOR ENGAGING EXTERNAL MEMBER IN POSITIOIN WITH RESPECT TO THE URETHRAL ORIFICE. 